The Daily Times

With forecasts pointing to signs that winter weather is still very much upon East Tennessee, Blount County started bracing for potential snow this weekend.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation started pretreating state routes and highways Friday morning in anticipation of dangerous roads, TDOT Community Relations Officer Mike Nagi said, adding that road crews will standing by all the weekend.

“Our crews will be basically on call on their routes until the threat to Tennessee roadways has passed,” Nagi said. “So they’ll be working over the weekend if necessary.”

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for much of northeast Tennessee Friday night on into today, calling for one to three inches of accumulation in some areas.

For Blount County, the likelihood of snowfall increased after 11 p.m. Friday, with a low of 29 degrees and accumulation of less than one inch possible.

A 50 percent chance of snow was expected before 1 p.m. today, followed by flurries and a high of only 35 degrees. The likelihood of snow looks to drop later in the day, with just a 20 percent chance of snow showers expected mainly before 10 p.m.

Sunshine back on Sunday

The forecast calls for sunshine to return Sunday, but the winter temperatures will stick around with a high of 37 and low of around 18 by Sunday night.

Blount County Highway Department Superintendent Bill Dunlap said the he expects the most amount of snow, if it comes, to fall in the mountains.

“I don’t anticipate a great deal here in the valley,” Dunlap said. “It should be gone by tomorrow afternoon, if we get anything at all.”

Nevertheless, the department picked up enough materials Thursday to cover the roads if needed, Dunlap said, and they have several trucks loaded with salt and chat (fine gravel) ready to go.

“If it starts, we’re ready,” Dunlap said.

The highway department will work closely with emergency services and dispatch to help with any stranded vehicles over the weekend, he added.

“Just as always, we’ll play the hand that’s dealt us and take care of it,” Dunlap said.

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